Annunciation

Giovanni Battista Tiepolo painted the small Annunciation between 1724 and 1725, early in his career. The angel Gabriel appears to Mary in a burst of heavenly light, characteristic of Tiepolo's theatrical Rococo style. The composition compresses the traditional scene into an intimate format, just 46 by 38 centimeters.

This work predates Tiepolo's massive ceiling frescoes that would make him Europe's most sought-after decorative painter. Yet the dramatic lighting and fluid brushwork already hint at his mature abilities. The religious subject suited the devotional purpose of a private cabinet painting.

The painting now hangs at the Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg. Tiepolo worked throughout Italy, Germany, and Spain during his career, but he spent most of his life in Venice. His influence spread across the continent through aristocratic commissions and the work of his sons, who assisted him on many projects.